crangle



Patented Nov. 4, 1941 George o. mangl san Francisco, Calif. ApplicationAugust .20, iesa'serial no. 225,885

*7 Claims. (01; zoo-155) This invention relates in a general way to the recovery of minerals from ores, and has particular reference to pulsators or jigs for separating the ore-bearing part of material fromgravel and the like.

One object of the invention is to provide an .apparatus of the character indicated, which is simple in construction and highly efiicient in operation.

A further advantage is that the apparatus can be operated over a considerable period of time without repairs or replacement of parts. This advantage ishighly important because devices of the kind are usually employed in locations where repairs and replacements are difiicult.

More specifically, the invention provides a highly eflicient seal for confining operating pressures in such a manner that they will be efiiciently directed through the screen.

With the foregoing and other'objects in view, the invention consistsof a novel construction and relation of parts, one embodiment of which will be hereinafter described with reference to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of .the specification. 4 The construction shown in the drawing comprises a screen IU of any suitable construction for the intended purpose, and supported in any suitable manner within the sheet metal shell I l which may be of any suitable shape. The upper end of the shell is riveted to angle irons l2 which are bolted as at I3 to any suitable support or framework I4. Mounted below the screen is what is usually referred to herein as a hutch l5. This hutch comprises a conical bottom and a cylindrical wall l6 which extends upward and an extension of that wall I! extending downward. Spaced from the walls I6, I1, is another wall I8 and a bottom l9 connecting the wall I! forms a narrow, deep receptacle integral with the hutch l5. The sheet metal shell ll supporting the screen has a downwardly extending skirt 2| which, in assembling, is inserted between the walls I! and I8. The relation of the parts, when assembled, is about that shown in the drawing at the end of an upstroke of the hutch I and parts moving with that hutch.

The receptacle comprising the walls I! and I8 is filled for about half of its depth with mercury before the skirt 2| is inserted between the walls I! and I8. Integral with the hutch I5 is a rod or shaft 23 sliding in a bearing 24. 7 Connected to the lower end of the rod 23 is a member 25 which also surrounds an eccentric 26 fixed on the rotatable shaft 21.

When the shaft rotates the hutch l5 and an parts integral therewith win be reciprocated'up and/down.

As thematerial which isto be jigged or pulsated on the screen ,ID is water borne, the hutch will be filled with water as well as screenings, and

the reciprocation of the hutch will ig or pulsate the material on and above the screen. This will involve applying pressure to the underside of the screen during the'upward movement of the hutch l5 and a downward flow toward and through the screen when. the hutch I5 is lowered. During this application of'pressure' and release of pressure or retraction of the hutch, the mercury will first'be driven down aroundthe bottom of the skirt and up aroun'd'the outside of the skirt 2| depending from the screen support and then back up along the'inte'rio'r wall of the skirt. In this way'the' .jigging'for pulsating pressure to and through the screen is yieldingly confined under the screen and this effect is produced, without having to use close-fitting; sliding bearings which might be quickly destroyed by sand and grit in the material being screened. f L I As an additional safeguard, although not an essential .one, the sheet metal shell ll may have attachedv to its interior a member 3| formed inward and then downwar'd to provide a shield which will keep'coarse material out of the receptacle for the mercury;

The lower end of the hutch may be provided with a spout 32 and valve 33 to permit withdrawal of the metal-containing screenings accumulated in the bottom of the hutch.

The shape of the sheet metal shell and the shape of the screen may be varied. In fact, the,

upper part of the shell above the screen may be in the .form of a chute or conduit through which the material may be flowed over the screen to subject it to the jigging action brought about by the reciprocation of the hutch. This may involve inclining the screen at'a slight angle.

It is obvious, of course, that the hutch and parts associated or integral with it may be held stationary, and the support for the screen given a movement to lift the screen up and down to agitate or jig the material on and above the screen.

While the structure shown and described is adapted to fulfill the purposes primarily stated, it is not the desire to be limited to that embodiment, as the invention is capable of various modifications with suitable changes in the structure and relation of parts, all of which come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus of the character described,

a screen for water borne material and a support for the screen, a member below the screen for receiving the screenings, means for effecting a relative movement of the screen support and said member and thereby pulsating or jigging the material on the screen, and a mercury seal between said support and said member comprising relatively movable members including a receptacle for mercury, and a supply of mercury in said receptacle sufficient to maintain a seal between said member and below the screen during all parts of said relative movements.

2. A device of the character described comprising a screen for water borne ore containing material and a hutch below the screen, means for effecting a relative movement of the hutch and screen to jig the material on the screen, and a seal between the screen and hutch comprising a pair of spaced apart parallel walls united at the bottom to form a narrow and deep receptacle integral with the hutch, a member integral with the screen including a skirt inserted between the walls of the receptacle and extending well down in the receptacle, and mercury in the receptacle in suiiicient quantityto flow back and forth around the lower edge of the skirt while maintaining a seal around said edge during the aforesaid relative movements.

3. A device of the character described comprising a screen and a support therefor including a hopper above and surrounding the screen, a reciprocatory hutch below the screen, a receptacle around the hutch comprising spaced apart parallel or concentric walls, a member integral with the sceen support including a skirt extending down between said walls, means for reciprocating the hutch to jig ore bearing material passing over the screen, and mercury in said receptacle in sufiicient quantity to maintain a yielding seal of the lower edge of the skirt during the reciprocations of the hutch.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, a screen for water borne ore bearing material and a support for the screen, a member below the screen constructed to hold water received from said material and to receive the screenings, means for efiecting a relative movement of the screen support and said member to apply a pulsating or jigging movement to the material above the screen, and a mercury seal comprising relatively movable members on the screen support and said member including a receptacle containing enough mercury to maintain a seal between the screen support and said member at all times during said relative movements.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a screen for water borne ore bearing material, a hutch movable up and down below the screen to jig material above the screen, a narrow and deep receptacle around and integral with the hutch, a support for the screen, an impervious member extending down from the screen support into said receptacle, and a supply of mercury in said receptacle sufficient to maintain a seal around the lower edge of said impervious member whereby to confine the jigging effect to the screen and the material above the screen.

6. A jigging apparatus comprising a screen for the material to be jigged and a support for the screen, a reciprocatory hutch below the screen, a receptacle around and integral with the hutch comprising spaced apart or concentric walls, a member integral with the screen support including a skirt xtending down between said walls and a shield extending down over the inner one of said walls, means for imparting jigging rcciprocation to the hutch, and a supply of mercury in said receptacle suificient to maintain a seal around the lower edge of the skirt during the reciprocations of the hutch.

7. A jigging apparatus comprising a screen for the material to be jigged and a support for the screen, a reciprocatory hutch below the screen, a receptacle around and integral with the hutch comprising spaced apart or concentric walls, a member integral with the screen support including a skirt extending down between said walls, means for imparting jigging reciprocation to the hutch, and a supply of mercury in said receptacle suificient to maintain a seal around the lower edge of the skirt during the reciprocations of the hutch, said mercury flowing in either direction around said lower edge to extents varying with pressures between the hutch and the screen.

GEORGE C. CRANGLE. 

